Look at your current company brochure, your latest ad or the most recent sales letter you’ve sent out. Is it immediately obvious what makes you better? Would a prospect clearly see why they should choose to do business with your organization over your competitors? Here are a few tips you can use to ensure you’re addressing the needs of your prospects.
Focus on “Hot Buttons”
To get prospects to notice your marketing, focus your marketing efforts on their problems, needs, wants, concerns, frustrations and annoyances. I call these their “hot buttons.” The best way to do this is with big, bold provocative headlines. (In a radio or TV ad, this is accomplished through the first sentence spoken.) Use headlines to sell the hurt; make prospects feel their pain; and move them into a state of consciousness.
Build Your Case
Once you have accomplished this, use the rest of your ad to position your product or service as the solution to their problems. This is best achieved by educating prospects and providing them with relevant information they need to make an informed buying decision. The more compelling and convincing your case, the more successful you’ll be.
Don’t be afraid to guide prospects and share valuable information with them. The more you do, the more valuable you make yourself. In sharing what you know, you also have the opportunity to prove your expertise and gain their trust and confidence. When you’ve accomplished this, you take a giant step forward in the sales process.
Provide prospects with evidence that you can solve their problem by incorporating testimonials, public acknowledgements, awards, case studies and facts and figures into your campaign.
Consistency Is Key
Most important of all, you must understand that good marketing requires a sustained commitment. Consistency is key to your success. Think in terms of a campaign. Try to communicate with your top prospect at least every two weeks. Make sure that each communication builds on the learning experience of the last, and that each contact is designed to move your prospect one step closer toward their purchase.
So there you have it: marketing made simple! Utilize this approach, and I guarantee you’ll have all the business you want!
This is the second post in “Getting Back to Basics”, a series by guest blogger Bob Stalbaum. The first can be found here.
